Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who had been held to a single catch in the first half, caught two touchdown passes from QB Kurt Warner in that time span.

The first, battling corner Ike Taylor to hold on in the right corner of the endzone, was the climax of an eight-play, 87-yard drive in which Arizona broke out of their first-half fug.

The second came on a 64-yard catch and run down the centre of the field after the Pittsburgh defence failed to see Fitzgerald running a short pattern to catch over the middle.

And there was a two-point safety awarded for the first time in 18 years in the Super Bowl, when Pittsburgh committed a foul in the endzone trying to protect Roethlisberger from a sack.

It was a tough day for Warner on his return to the Super Bowl

The Cardinals were not helped by the fact they conceded a Super Bowl record 106 yards on 11 penalties, including a foul for running into the Pittsburgh field-goal holder, although the Steelers failed to capitalise fully.

Three years after leading his side to victory over Seattle in Super Bowl XL, Roethlisberger thought he had opened the scoring with five minutes gone with a scrambled run to his right.

Replays showed he was grounded before crossing the line and the Steelers were forced to settle for a field goal on their opening drive, before Gary Russell rumbled to paydirt from a yard out with 6 minutes 13 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Arizona's defence only sprang to life in the second quarter, forcing a punt then intercepting Roethlisberger, after Warner opened the scoring with a throw to tight end Ben Patrick.

Nine years after winning the big game with the St Louis Rams, 37-year-old Warner completed 31 of his 43 passes for 377 yards.

He now holds the top three marks for yards passing in a Super Bowl, previously throwing for 414 yards in 2000 against Tennessee and 365 yards against New England in 2002.

"To fight back and put us in position felt great, but give credit to the Steelers to come back down and get a touchdown," Warner said.

"These guys exceeded expectations. They were so much fun to play with. I just can't say enough about the season that we had."

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